29er's.....Fad or Future????

[mtnbikej]

What do y'all think? Are 29er's the way of the future or are they just gonna go away in a few years like URT and BioPace rings?

Thinking of selling my hardtail and buying a Sugar 293.

mtnbikej

[Serial Midget]

T.B.B.X.C.

That pretty much sums it up. :)

[mtnbikej]

Originally posted by Serial Midget
T.B.B.X.C.

That pretty much sums it up. :)


Don't get it:confused: :confused: :confused:

mtnbikej

[fldunit]

My opinion is that 29'ers may be a slight mechanical advantage but will never be supported by the LBS due to the increased cost of stocking 29in specific parts. The concept is stupid in a time of belt tightening. The money spent on development and implementation should have went toward marketing products that already exist, promoting events other than races, land use issues and education. The bike industry is looking for a special pill to bring it back to where it once was and this is not it.

[fasterTHANyou]

all my friends on the east coast hate it, all my friends on the west coast love it... i suppose it has it's place, certain applications, blah blah blah...

i just think it looks wierd :D

[Serial Midget]

Originally posted by mtnbikej
Don't get it:confused: :confused: :confused:

mtnbikej

Flash in da pan. :)

[ito]

I'm building one right now, it should be done by the New Year(here's hoping). I love the idea, but don't expect them to catch on. The fact that I can run road slicks on it and nice big 2.1's is killer. It is not going to be the next big thing, but for those who desire it(me!) it is there and will stick around. I'm thinking of it as a fat tired CX bike without the drop bars.

I'm excited to be building one, but it is in no way the wave of the future.

The Ito

[rockracing]

fad....its been around for a few years with Fisher pushing it, but none of the other brands (apart from a few small beautique customs buliders, who lets face it like to build anything different) have got in on the act.

where's specialized's 29er, where's Cannondale's 29er ??

plus its not going to help me and the 5'6" and under clique, don't care what they say, I'll never be able to get a frame that I can stand over !

also why call it 29, thats the outside diametre of the tire, 26 rims are exactly that, the diameter of the rim, suppose 27 point something doesn't sound so cool ?

[ARmtnBIKER]

I say neither, fad nor future... I think the 29er is here to stay but I dont think it will be the norm, I think it will be a riders preference thing, some will ride 26, while others will go with the 29... I have a 29er and really do love the way it rides, but I cant say that its better than my 26 inch bikes, although it does have some pro's over my 26's, but its not great for all conditions. One thing I am liking about it is the versatility of it, just swap out tires and you can go from a bad ass single track machine to a asphault burning road bike or to a barrier burnin cross bike. :D

[rockracing]

let me get this straight, are gary's 29" inch wheels just same as 700c road wheels, as far as size goes ?

[ARmtnBIKER]

Originally posted by rockracing
let me get this straight, are gary's 29" inch wheels just same as 700c road wheels, as far as size goes ?

you got it!! put a 2.1 tire on a 700c rim and the outside diameter is 29". :D

[SkaredShtles]

I'd have to say neither.

I'd call 29" mountain bikes niche products. They've been around a LONG time and have their advocates, but I doubt that they'll make much significant inroads in the future.

I predict they will remain a niche product.

-S.S.-

[rockracing]

Originally posted by SkaredShtles
I predict they will remain a niche product.

-S.S.-

like 24" wheels in DH ?.............

[slowSSer]

Originally posted by rockracing
like 24" wheels in DH ?.............

Like SSing?

[Ridemonkey]

Originally posted by fldunit
My opinion is that 29'ers may be a slight mechanical advantage but will never be supported by the LBS due to the increased cost of stocking 29in specific parts. The concept is stupid in a time of belt tightening. The money spent on development and implementation should have went toward marketing products that already exist, promoting events other than races, land use issues and education. The bike industry is looking for a special pill to bring it back to where it once was and this is not it.

I'd agree with all that.

[rekt23]

This is for the guy who thinks the LBS will not stock 29'er parts.
spokes...road length, 2.0 dt
rims...mavic of b trager road
tubes...hybrid
tires...only "real" specific 29'er part out there, depending on how fat you want your tire.

The 29'er is here to stay, a great deal of people over 5'10" will love how proportional the size of the bike feels. Anyone under 5'10" w/out really good technical skills will love how easily they roll over rocks and roots. I believe that a person riding a 29'er who is over 5'10" vs. riding 26" is like a smaller person riding a 24" bike vs. a 26" wheeled bike.

[slowSSer]

Originally posted by rekt23
This is for the guy who thinks the LBS will not stock 29'er parts.
spokes...road length, 2.0 dt
rims...mavic of b trager road
tubes...hybrid
tires...only "real" specific 29'er part out there, depending on how fat you want your tire.

The 29'er is here to stay, a great deal of people over 5'10" will love how proportional the size of the bike feels. Anyone under 5'10" w/out really good technical skills will love how easily they roll over rocks and roots. I believe that a person riding a 29'er who is over 5'10" vs. riding 26" is like a smaller person riding a 24" bike vs. a 26" wheeled bike.

then get away from the LBS for the specific parts (blaspehmy, I know). webcyclery built my 29ers wheels, and did a damn fine job at it!

[Mike Stone]

I have a Kelly Ro Sham Bo 29 incher with Marzocchi 29" spec forks and Mavic Cosmos wheels with 700c x 37mm tires. I rode it for 24 days straight last year through Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, 1125 miles, mostly jeep trails but some pavement. Climbs up to 8-9000' in the mountains.

For jeep trails and not too technical riding, like on this trip, it works great. I would think of it as a dual-sport motorcycle, kind of a compromise between a pure dirt bike and road bike. It is more efficient and faster than a 26" on firm, not too ugly terrain. But I would be skeerd to ride it on technical or slippery eastern-type trails.

Also remember when spec-ing out a 29"er, you have to compensate for the larger wheel diameter when selecting your gear ratios.